Mi Tierra: San Antonio’s Stand Alone Original Tex-Mex

It’s always fiesta time at this San Antonio institution

24-Hour Fun at Mi Tierra

     Years ago, Neil directed a shoot in San Antonio, ate at Mi Tierra, and brought me back what became my favorite T-shirt.  That article of clothing went everywhere – even South Beach, where a group of Latino workers started talking to me about Mi Tierra.  I struggled along in my much slower Spanish, but it
was eye opening to know that the restaurant had such reach.  I told Neil that if we ever went to San Antonio, I would be looking for a replacement shirt.

Entrance to Mi Tierra

     Mi Tierra is adjacent to El Mercado and it never closes.  We went for breakfast and the mariachi band was already there and sauntering around the restaurant.  It’s a huge space with multiple dining rooms and festooned with party lights.  There’s also 

Mexican Hot Chocolate

a panadería with a pretty vast selection of baked goods and another counter where patrons can purchase the excellent hot chocolate and my favorite T-shirts.  

The Fiesta Atmosphere of the Dining Room

The service is friendly and very quick.  There was a party of twenty-four across from us and two servers took complete care of them from orders through refilling beverages, clearing, and providing about a dozen checks.  

Barbacoa Mexicana

Chorizo Mexicana

     Portions are huge with entrée dishes including a number of sides on the plate such as vegetables and a salad.  The flour tortillas are fresh and puffy, though not quite as good as those at Rosario’s, but the corn tortillas were smooth and hot.  I had the barbacoa with over easy eggs and the meat was thick and tender.  Both that sauce and Neil’s scrambled eggs were complexly spiced and delicious.  

The Detailed Bar Area

     After eating at Mi Tierra, check out El Mercado, which is an indoor mall with about twenty shops selling a variety of Tejano items.  Patrons should consider price comparisons between shops before making a final purchase and realizing that what they’ll see ranges from the supremely elegant to the glitzy kitschy.  It’s all fun.

http://www.mitierracafe.com

It seemed a little early for so much fun!